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Third in javelin for Mickle

John Salvado

It speaks volumes for the elevated standard Kim Mickle has reached that she can still finish on the podium at a Diamond League meet while feeling thoroughly underwhelmed with her performance.

The 2013 javelin world championships silver medallist extended her unbroken two-year run of top-three finishes with third place behind two-time Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova from the Czech Republic at the Herculis meet in Monte Carlo.

Mickle's best effort of 62.94m in the penultimate round was almost four metres shy of the national record she threw earlier this year in Melbourne.

But the West Australian had no problem immediately switching her focus to Glasgow, where she will be the deserved favourite for Commonwealth gold.

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"I'm definitely fresh and this was always going to be a competition where it was a hit and miss sort of throw," she said.

"Just to come out with a high 62 and a third again, I can't complain.

"When you're not feeling sparkly or in form it's really hard to flight the javelin because when one thing is off then everything is off."

The plan now for Mickle is to lighten up her training program in the next fortnight ahead of the challenge posed by two-time Commonwealth champ Sunette Viljoen from South Africa, Australian duo Kathryn Mitchell and Kelsey-Lee Roberts and English veteran Goldie Sayers.

"I'm not feeling the pressure of favouritism - I do things because I want to do them," said Mickle, who claimed Commonwealth silver behind Viljoen four years ago in Delhi after overcoming a foot injury.

"I know I will put 110 per cent out there and if that's good enough for gold then that's awesome and I'll put the work in for it.

"I feel like I deserve it, but there are other girls out there who have worked their bums off as well so you just never know with our sport."